


Like a Princess

by rageandserenityis_ecstasy



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Admiration, F/M, Fluff, Picnics, Pre-Relationship, Requited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-27
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 20:29:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2520779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rageandserenityis_ecstasy/pseuds/rageandserenityis_ecstasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Molly Hooper is not quite the little mouse she is perceived to be: she is trying to hide herself away but Greg Lestrade is a detective and can see through her veil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A certain Detective Inspector strode into the morgue one Tuesday morning, looking a lot more confident than he seemed. He had a coffee in his hand. Caramel latte. He had seen Molly leave the Starbucks near his large house once… Not that he was looking or anything. As he pushed the door to the morgue open with one hand, he silently prayed that he had got this right. Hurting or upsetting Molly Hooper was the last thing he wanted to do. Especially after she had been treated by so many men already. As a consequence of her poor luck with love, there was always the possibility that she might want to take a break from men. And she had. Right up until the moment that Detective Inspector Gregory Lestrade shuffled shyly into her lab that sunny morning. 

“Inspector!” She said quickly, jumping back and dropping the test tube of blue liquid in her hand onto the worktop as she noticed him stood shyly in the corner, clasping the coffee cup with both hands. He cursed and rushed forwards, wiping the mess away hastily with a paper towel. 

“Inspector… Inspector.. It’s fine. Don’t worry.” She blinked slowly and pulled off her rubber gloves, pushing her hair out of her face back into her ponytail. Cautiously, Greg turned around to look at her. As his gaze fall across her petite frame and he felt his heart lurch and fall. Something stirred deep in his stomach as the light from the desk lamp beside her flickered across her delicate features, highlighting her pure beauty. She was wearing little or no make up, at least that Greg could see and yet to him, she still looked like the most perfect woman he had ever seen. Rich brunette strands of hair dipped around her slender face, masking who she was to the outside world. Greg Lestrade could see through it. He was a detective after all. His brown eyes were large with wonder, his gaze dropping to her soft, raspberry lips as he thought about all the things he could do with them upon his. Torment. Passion. Desire...Love. He was sure he could make her happy. Happier than she had been with any of her previous partners and Good God, did he want to try.

He didn’t realise he was staring until he heard a soft familiar giggle from a few feet away. Molly was looking up at him; her brown eyes dancing as she laughed. With another burst of laughter she stepped forwards, just a little closer to him. Her meager chest heaving beneath her labcoat. Greg stared at her in awe. He was going to be ruined by this woman who would never love him back, he could tell. But it was inevitable. He had already fallen. 

“I.. I brought you something..” He stammered. Molly giggled. Again. And Greg fell unwillingly deeper. 

“You didn’t have to…” She said, dipping her head as a slight crimson blush dashed across her pale cheeks. 

“I.. I know, but.. I brought you coffee.. If you don’t like it I can get you another one.. It’s just.. It might be a bit cold now.. I’m sorry.”

“Jesus, Greg, stop apologising!” She paused, a wave of panic hit her. Was she allowed to call him by his first name? Was he on duty? Her questions were answered when she saw a smile dawn across his face. A grin cracking wide like the Autumn sunrise appearing across a hazy heath. 

“Thank you.” He said softly. “Yeah, you’re right. My name is Greg.. Christ, not Lestrade..” In reply to this, Molly beamed, watching him with ultimate concentration as he slipped away from where he was stood to retrieve the coffee and then passed it to her shyly. With a tender smile she sipped it, her smile widening as she noticed him watching her. “It’s lovely Greg, thank you.” In truth it was rather cold and unenjoyable but he had brought her coffee. That’s what mattered and it made her insanely happy to know someone cared. But, to know that Greg cared put her on a whole new level. 

“Molly…” Greg said quietly. He was going to be brave. You don’t ask, you don’t get, right?

“Yes, Greg?” She asked over her coffee held in both hands, elegant fingers, which really ought to have a ring on in Greg’s opinion, hooked around the lukewarm cardboard cup.

“I was wondering… If you maybe would like to go out sometime… Maybe for lunch with me..” 

Molly’s face lit up. “Oh Greg.. I’d love to!” She exclaimed, stepping towards Greg whose heart leapt out of his chest. 

“That’s great… I could come back and pick you up in a couple of hours…?” He asked cautiously. 

“That’d be lovely!” She giggled. That giggle sent that Greg’s mind spinning into a whirlwind of delight. He struggled to even reply to her. Eventually his lips formed the correct shape and he managed to babble out a jumble of incoherent sounds that must have been some kind of understandable reply to Molly as she smiled and practically skipped back round the other side of the counter, sipping her cold coffee and going back to combining several different elements contently. Greg smiled at her happiness and left the lab, leaving her to it as he walked out of St Bartholomew's to the nearest supermarket.

Truthfully, Molly did not eat properly. She never had. Not since her father died and her Grandmother forced her to go away to boarding school. She hated caring for herself and so, simply, she didn’t. 

Regardless, three hours later, Molly Hooper had finished up her experiment and had removed her lab coat. After a quick trip to the bathroom she stepped out with a coating of soft pink lipstick and a swipe of mascara, just enough to make her satisfied with herself. She was going out to lunch with Greg, she had to make a bit of an effort. He hadn’t told her where she was going and it was all a little bit secretive. This excited her. It was like an adventure with a man who she found ridiculously attractive and actually seemed to care. And with that, she was happy. Where was he going to take her?! Even if the food was something she was going to have to endure, she could have fun with Greg. The question whirred around her brain like a crazed bee cooped up in its hive- deprived of relationships and the understanding of others. That’s what she felt like around Greg. All bubbly and bouncy. Exuberant but also a little reserved at times. She was shy but wanted Greg to like her so much it hurt deep down in her chest when she thought about him.

Greg strode through the door, stopping dead as he noticed the beautiful, yet natural woman stood in front of him.

“Hey…” He murmured, grinned wildly, a picnic basket and red checkered blanket in hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Before she knew it, Molly was being swept out of the hospital and led down to the nearest tube station. Well, she said swept, maybe not literally. Greg was more of an awkward shuffler, but it felt like she was being swept away into oblivion with every single movement he made. 

The heavy lunch-time bustle of the tube station often scared Molly; the looming figures, businessmen in suits and even gangly limbed youths in tracksuits scared her. Greg had seemingly picked up on this, he shuffled a little closer to her, smiling down at her radiant little face. She glanced up and smiled at him “It’s not that I’m scared of them, only that they don’t notice me.” 

Greg grinned, pressing the palm of his hand into hers. “I’ll look after you, just don’t let go.”

True to his word, Greg did look after Molly. He walked by her side, darting his way through the crowds and down on to the platform. Tugging her along with him so she had no chance of getting lost. After a short tube ride west, they ended up in a park. Not a major one, no, not a big one. It wasn’t busy or bustling. It was just small and there were many trees that concealed a small pond, containing fish. The gates were patent black iron and perfectly preserved. With his picnic basket in hand, Grag, led her into the tiny paradise and laid out the red and white blanket for her. Molly giggled neatly, a small bird chirping at her on a low branch beside her. 

“Sit down, Love.” Greg instructed sweetly as he dropped down beside her feet and looked up expectantly.

Instantly, she obeyed. How could she not? He was lovely, a real gentleman. Not like any of the idiots she had been with during her years at uni. Sure, he was a little older but that did not matter one bit to her.

“How was work…?” He asked quietly. A tone to match the serenity of the park. There was no one else in their little area behind the trees. 

“Okay. It was… Yeah, okay. Well, as okay as dissecting a five year old boy who was involved in a car crash could be…” Looking down, her face showed clear sadness but in the next second, Greg was lifting her back up again with a hand on her shoulder. “But think about the closure for the family. They’ll know exactly what happened to him, and that will be due to your fantastic work.” 

She nodded, looking up and smiling reassuringly.Pretty, coal framed eyes watched Greg’s hands as he revealed tiny cheese sandwiches and butterfly buns. It was all rather quaint and Greg had done all he could to impress her. Her expression lifted fully, excitement flooding her core. 

“Greg! This looks wonderful! Did you make these”

Nodding shyly, he held up the box of sandwiches and offered her one politely. When she declined Greg found himself most disappointed. What had he done wrong?

“Sorry… I… I’m just not used to eating proper food.”

Greg blinked confused. 

“I kind of.. Live on a more… Caffeine and glucose diet. It’s easier, quicker… What with work and all that.” She hid her face, evidently embarrassed. “I don’t have a problem…” She growled, determined not to seem like an idiot. Not in front of Greg. He would hate her.

“Oh… My darling…” Greg frowned. “If you.. If you do, I won’t mind, y’know? I want to help… I.. I really like you. My- My divorce has finally come through and I wanna get the best out of life. We… could get you help…”

“I don’t have a problem.” She sighed and shuffled away, frown painted on her face in acrylic.

“Okay…” He whispered, picking up a cake himself and swiping off a little butter icing. Popping it in his mouth, he moaned softly and lay back. Molly watched on jealousy, eyebrows fused in a sulky frown. His eyes closed while the sun shone down, highlighting his cheekbones deliciously. Slowly, Molly crawled over to the box and sneaked and tiny nibble of sandwich. So good. She smiled and sighed, then picked up a cake and smeared a tiny bit of icing on Greg’s nose cheekily. Greg jolted, giving a little shout and sitting up. “OhMyGod, Molls…” He gasped, wriggling his nose in discomfort. 

“Here…” Molly said softly, leaning in to tenderly lick the smeared icing from his face. 

Greg gave a soft ‘oh’ of understanding and allowed her to clean him back up. After she had finished, she curled up close beside him and his strong arms slid across her shoulders, and kissed her temple. “We’ll get you sorted out Molls, I promise. I won’t leave your side.”


End file.
